


Like Glitter and Gold

by ams75



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, RipChat Gift Exchange, RipFic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22577719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ams75/pseuds/ams75
Summary: Little fics featuring Rip Hunter and Gideon inspired by IncendiaGlacie's wish list.
Relationships: Rip Hunter & Gideon, Rip Hunter/Gideon
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	Like Glitter and Gold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IncendiaGlacies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IncendiaGlacies/gifts).



> Merry Ripmas and a Gideon New Year!
> 
> Mostly fluff.
> 
> Mostly.

**GIDEON**

Heart in her throat, Gideon gripped the laser revolver in her hand more tightly and crept closer to the intruder. Strangely, the Waverider didn't seem alarmed.

"Put down the gun, Gideon, it's only me, we both know you won't pull the trigger." 

Gideon stiffened as she heard the familiar voice, but it couldn't be. No, he was lost.

The man stepped forward, revealing a battered… 

"Rip?"

His lips twitched. "You remembered my name. The gun?"

She lowered it but kept it in her hand, just in case. What if this wasn't Rip?

"May I show you something?" he asked.

She nodded once and his hand reached slowly beneath the duster into his pocket. He kept his hand in sight as he pulled out his pocket watch and opened it, revealing a picture of his dead wife and son. 

"Who are they?"

"Miranda and Jonas," Gideon whispered, as she took an involuntary step towards her Captain. It was the first time she had laid her eyes on their photographs.

She watched him sag in relief and she closed the distance between them, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped him to one of the passenger chairs. 

"I'm home," Rip rasped.

"What do you mean?" Concerned, she pressed her hand against his forehead, was his temperature high?

"When I last left the _Waverider_ , whom was I attempting to delay?"

She shuddered as she remembered, he'd had no chance of survival. "Mallus."

He flung his arms around her and clung tightly, as if she were life itself. "I used my Time Courier but the energy released by the time drive interfered. I've been bouncing around other Earths, searching for a way home."

"And you found it?"

"I think so, if you'll have me."

"How do you know this is the right _Waverider_?"

"You're the first Gideon who recognised my family."

"And?" She waved at her body, which he had never seen before.

"I saw you when I was trapped in my mind. How…?"

"The Legends. Magic." She had been shocked, horrified, mortified, angry and scared at first but had rallied quickly, she was nothing if not adaptable.

"I should have known. May I stay?"

*******

**LOCKET**

Rip sat in the chair by his record player, reading as he sipped his well aged scotch. His tranquility was shattered by Hurricane Gideon, who came to a halt before him, barely missing his drink as she swept her clutched hand under his nose.

Gideon drew herself to her full (still short) height and demanded, "Who is she?!?"

Rip finished the page he was reading and closed his book before looking into the beautiful, stormy eyes. 

"Who's who?"

"The hussy you're seeing!" Gideon declared, venomously.

"I beg your pardon?" Rip said, flatly and pushed himself to his feet so Gideon would be forced to look up.

"Her!" She pressed her hand against his chest and opened her fingers so the locket dug in.

Rip's temper flared. "Where did you get that?" 

Gideon smirked and Rip's gaze dropped to the drawer he had kept locked. 

"How dare you!"

"You promised you wouldn't keep secrets from me!"

"Gideon!"

She slammed the locket down. "Go to her!"

"Maybe I will!"

Gideon breathed in sharply then ran from the room.

Hours later, he found her curled in a ball on the bed she had been using before he had returned. She was silent and he knew she had long since cried all her tears out.

"If you want to know who has stolen my heart, open it." He laid it gently in her hand.

He was wrong, she did have tears left, which burst forth anew. His anger had been dissipated by the ensuing hours and he stroked her hair. 

"Please. Open it." 

Her hand remained limp and he covered it with his own, opening it so she could peer at the pictures inside. On the left, her favourite picture of him, a hint of a smile as he had looked at her. On the right, his favourite image of her: with her eyes sparkling as she had laughed at him. It had been worth it.

"I wanted to surprise you for our anniversary." 

She breathed in sharply and launched herself at him. He held her tightly as their lips met.

He would find another present.

*******

WAVERIDER

She was beautiful, and Rip looked upon her with awe. The _Waverider_ , his ship. Even in the hangar, she was majestic and he thought his heart might burst from sheer joy. For the first time, he boarded his ship alone. "Gideon, prepare to take us out," he said as he strode to the bridge, eager to see what they could do.

~*~

He paced the bridge. "Gideon, have you--?"

She cut him off. "Yes, Captain. Everything is prepared. Go to the cargo bay and open the door." Precious cargo was due and Gideon looked forward to more conversations with Miranda Coburn and meeting young Jonas.

~*~

Rip liked to think he knew the ship better than anyone else and quite possibly, he did. On his first day, he had inspected the _Waverider_ and under Gideon's sage tutelage, as he preferred to remember it, he had begun in the engine room and He had methodically worked his way around, tightening connections, buffing metal so it shone, replacing frayed wiring and generally making sure that his ship was going to be in peak condition for their missions. Now, with an intruder on board, Rip put his hard gained knowledge to good use. He used the manual override to open the doors to the bridge and shot the intruder, a Time Pirate, in the back, who slid to the floor. Grimly satisfied, he holstered the tranqualiser gun and dragged the prisoner to the brig and left him on the floor, locked in. He had a shut down Gideon to reboot and a ship to inspect.

~*~

He hurtled himself into the pilot's chair and swung around hard to face the view screen. The mission hadn't quite gone to plan but he felt himself beginning to relax as he looked into the darkness and flipped the thruster. Airborne, he guided them into the temporal zone, feeling at one with the ship.

*******

**"I TOLD YOU SO."**

"I told you so."

Rip gritted his teeth as Gideon's voice rang in his ear. "Concentrate on the current problem."

~*~

"I told you so."

Rip sighed heavily. "Indeed you did."

~*~

"I told you so."

"Now that the worst has come to pass, do you have any suggestions?"

~*~

"I told you so."

"I listened." He had even modified his plan. "Thank you." 

Gideon had been correct.

~*~

"I told you so."

"You may stop saying that any time now!"

~*~

"I told you so."

Rip didn't hear Gideon's whisper as he slept while she healed him.

~*~

"I told you so."

"Regardless, there will be no trips to Mars!" Rip said, tersely. 

Jonas was far too young for such a monumental journey, no matter how much he claimed he was ready.

~*~

"I told you so."

"But it was glorious for a moment, Gideon!" Rip protested. 

Luckily, he hadn't been far off the ground as he had flown for a few seconds before he had landed with a thud. 

"Mission accomplished."

~*~

"I told you so."

Rip instead heard: it is good you returned, albeit damaged. 

"Good to see you too." He leaned so he could see her avatar from his position in the leather armchair in the parlour.

~*~

"I told you so."

Was that meant as, I care about you? Rip smiled at the thought. It was comforting even as he laid on the med couch, being scanned for injuries.

~*~

"I told you so."

He realised she had been right, again. "Thank you, Gideon." The _Waverider_ was dear to him and he hadn't quite dared to think of her as home until now, but Gideon had just assured him it was so. "It's good to be home. You're even more beautiful than I remembered."

Her voice was smug and he imagined her smiling. "I told you so."

******

**2165 (minus eight or so years)**

"Captain?"

Rip's arm was around Miranda's waist as the two of them walked up the ramp to the cargo bay. "I told you we had a surprise for you," he said mildly. Once they were safely inside, the ramp retracted and the door closed solidly behind them.

Miranda bounced the bundle in her arms and Rip couldn't wipe the besotted smile from his lips even if he tried, which he didn't.

"I didn't expect you to return so soon," Gideon said, tone reproachful.

Even the rebuke didn't faze him as they made their way to the bridge. 

"I, we, couldn't wait any longer," he said truthfully, as he pulled Miranda slightly closer.

"I insisted," Miranda said, as they stepped into the bridge.

Gideon's avatar flickered into view.

"Go on then," Miranda said, encouragingly, "you know you're dying to." She kissed Rip's cheek.

Carefully, he pulled the blankets back, revealing the tiny baby. 

"Gideon, meet Jonas Gideon Coburn. We'd like you to be his godmother."

Silence.

Rip risked glancing up at her. During their stolen moments together after tests revealed Miranda was pregnant, they had whispered half formed plans, not daring to speak aloud lest they were shattered.

Gideon had given them shelter and had supplied doctored footage of Rip alone on the _Waverider_ performing routine repairs, hiding Miranda from any prying eyes, and welcomed Miranda warmly. She had been the one to gently suggest that Miranda go to the medbay and they had discovered the pregnancy.

"Gideon?" he asked softly, afraid the gesture was too human.

Silence.

Rip glanced fearfully at Miranda. 

"We decided together, Gideon. Rip brought it up and I immediately agreed. Who else would love Jonas as much as we do, and protect him?" asked Miranda.

When she spoke, Gideon's voice wavered. Rip suspected she would be shedding tears of happiness, if she had been capable of it. 

"Thank you, Captain, Miranda. It will be my honour."

*******

**MERMAID**

It had been a beautiful day like any other when Gideon had met the human. He looked young, scrawny and pale, but he had smiled when he had seen her and swam over. She sang quietly as he neared her. He stopped, treading water, listening. 

"That was beautiful," he said, matter-of-factly, when she had finished.

Shyly, she ducked her head, pleased.

"I'm Michael."

"Gideon." 

Her voice was a whisper, not used much except for singing.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," he declared, with the air of one remembering one's manners.

She smiled, then splashed him causing him to splutter. She raced off and he followed, narrowly catching her as she readied herself to plunge deeply beneath the water. Something in his eyes made her stay, and they swam around, enjoying the small swells as the water raced to the shore.

"Michael!"

Sadly, he looked towards the sand. 

"That's Mother," he said, hurriedly. "Sorry, I have to go now. Will you be here tomorrow?"

She nodded.

"I'll meet you here."

"All right," she said. 

She watched as he swam to shore and walked quickly to the towel his mother held up for him. He took it and wrapped it tightly around himself, then turned and waved. She smiled a little and waved back, then slowly sank beneath the waves.

It was a mystery to her why her parents thought the air breathers were monstrous.

The next day, the weather was nice and she swam to the surface, wondering if he would return. Children were playing on the beach and a few ventured into the water. She smiled slightly as one swam towards her. He stopped beside her and trod water. 

"Hello."

"Hi," she said, quietly. She touched his shoulder. "Tag, you're it!" She giggled as she swam away and he launched himself after her.

She felt him touch her tail and turned around. He had stopped, floating in the water, mouth opened and eyes wide.

Maybe her parents were right. She could barely breathe. "Michael?"

Her heart pounded in her chest as time slowed. "Gideon?"

"Yes?"

"What... what are you?!?"

She saw the fear in his eyes and began to sink into the water. 

"A mermaid."

She didn't expect him to reach over and catch her before she disappeared from view. 

"You're a myth."

"You're myth-taken," she whispered, deadpan. 

She thought his grip would loosen but she was wrong.

"Truly? You're a mermaid?"

She nodded.

"May I touch your... tail, isn't it?"

What cheek, she thought but his serious expression didn't change. 

"All right."

He inhaled deeply then the water covered him. She felt his fingers touch her scales and glide over them before he resurfaced. 

"That's how you swim so fast?"

She nodded quickly. 

"That's how I took first place in the Mer Aquatics last year." Gideon boasted, beaming with pride. Out of a group of thirty, all within a year or two of her age, she had won!

"You did?" He sounded unsure.

"Yes!"

He touched her cheek then pushed away, calling, "Tag, you're it!"

Every day while he was on holiday, as he called it, rain or shine, he came into the water and swam to where she waited. The next day, he brought a ball they could throw and chase, and play catch.

On the fourth day, she saw he swam more slowly and waited, something was wrong.

He cupped her cheek, his eyes filled with sadness. 

"Mother said you don't exist," he said.

"She's bloody wrong!" 

Anger coursed through her veins, hurt that he didn't believe her.

After a long silence he whispered, "I know."

Their time together that day was strained but she waited for him the next day and he smiled when he saw her. It was a genuine smile which reached his eyes and she sang her joy. He floated, entranced.

They grew closer until one horrible day he told her he had to leave, they were going home the next day.

She disappeared into the depths of the water and didn't surface until she saw him swim away. When she surfaced, she told herself she wasn't crying, it was only the water from her hair.

She was lying to herself.

*

Laying on a large rock, sunning herself, she was startled to hear a familiar voice. "Gideon?" She opened her eyes and was surprised to see her young friend of the previous summer, his red hair plastered to his head, his sea green eyes lit with happiness.

She almost told him to go away, before he could hurt her again.

"We're here for a month," he said excitedly.

She sat up and slid into the water, her home and tapped his arm. "Tag, you're it!"

He laughed and chased her.

Three summers later, she experienced her first real kiss with him. When he went to kiss her again, she protested, "No!" Gently, she pushed him away. "It could change you."

"What do you mean?"

"Mermen aren't born, they're made."

"I beg your pardon?"

"If we... well... you'll be one with the sea, as I am."

She wasn't surprised when he swam away.

A week later he returned with no explanation. He was careful only to touch her with his hands.  
Several more summers flew by and she was partly relieved and partly disappointed when he didn't comment on her changes. Her tail now shone with the colours of the rainbow and she had developed as a human teenager might, she now wore a bikini top. Michael was a gentleman and met her eyes, which was frustrating.

He had grown tall and remained slender. He had more hair than before, the beard made him quite handsome. "I start Uni in the fall," he said sadly one day.

"What's that?" Gideon asked, puzzled.

"Where we learn."

"Sounds awful."

"It is."

"Then why are you going?"

"So I can earn a living."

She looked at him, puzzled. The sea provided everything she needed. It had even brought him to her.

The next few years, she saw him less and less although he always showed up to spend time together.

When he returned again, his face was gaunt under the beard. She stroked his cheek. They whispered secrets to each other, as they snuggled together.

One year, he didn't show up at all and she feared he had forgotten her, or worse, she had been abandoned.

The next year, his eyes were bright with unshed tears. "Mother died," he whispered, and she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

The days began to grow shorter and still, he didn't leave.

He met her in the water as usual and pulled her closer. 

"I want to be with you always."

He began to kiss her and she didn't resist, as they slowly began to sink beneath the waves. He began to change, growing gills so he could breathe underwater and his legs slowly joined together, becoming a tail. Still she kissed him, as she revelled in his nearness. She took his hand and they swam together to his new home.

********

**CHOCOLATE**

It didn't take any detective skills to find Gideon, all Rip had to do was follow the empty chocolate wrappers. He walked slowly, marvelling at her ability to gorge herself on the sweet. She had begun in his parlour, moved on to the bridge and it looked liked she had sat in the pilot's chair. The trail led to the galley where an empty mug sat in the sink, another wrapper sat empty on the counter. She had probably enjoyed a hot chocolate. He walked slowly and stopped at the entrance to their quarters.

He walked in quietly and watched, amused, as she delicately unwrapped another chocolate. He plucked it from her fingers then laid down on the bed beside her and offered the chocolate covered cherry to her luscious lips.

"Rip!" Gideon wasn't a fool, her lips surrounded the treat.

He kissed her cheek, then held up a bottle of chocolate syrup. "For later." He continued to kiss her, she was better than chocolate.

**********

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you love your present, IncendiaGlacies!


End file.
